Ship-cleaning apparatus.



No.86'7, 513. PATENTED 0011,1907.

J. A. KENNEDY-McGREGOR.

SHIP CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'I. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

SHIP-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

Application filed July 7,1906. Serial No- 825,048.

To 'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY- MCGREGOR, a subject of theKingdom of Great Britain, residing at 311 Albert road, Aston,Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, engineer, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Ship-Cleaning Apparatus, for which I haveapplied for a patent in Great Britain, Patent No. 23,169, dated November11, 1905, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an appliance for cleaning the hulls of shipswhile under way, in which a brush is operated by a motor in such amanner as to 'clean the side of the ship, the motor being contained in awater tight casing which is held to the side of the ship byelectromagnets, and has for its object the movement of the appliance inany direction by means of motive power which may be obtained from themotor which actuates the brush or cleaning tool. Such an apparatusrenders the cleaning operation far more effective and complete than hasbefore been the case and while its main object is to provide a means forcleaning when the ship is under way, it can also be applied withadvantage to the cleaning of the hulls of vessels when in dry dock.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and more easilycarried into practice, I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawingsupon which I have illustrated the nature of my said invention, and onwhich,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the appliance when resting upon ahorizontal plane. Fig. 2 is a plan of the appliance with the cover plateremoved. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 12 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is asection showing the means for actuating the end wheels. Fig. 5 is adiagram showing one method of connecting the respective motors to thedynamo for the operation and regulation of the appliance.

In carrying this invention into effect the apparatus A consists of anelectromagnet or magnets a a a (1 arranged in a watertight casing orcompartment B.

The end pieces or poles of the magnets may be in the form of iron disksor wheels 0 which are mounted upon the outside of the compartment B insuch a manner as to be capable of rotation but preferably they areindependent of the wheels C in which case the latter are so adjusted asto prevent the magnets from actually touch ing the iron of the ship sideand allow a certain amount of clearance which varies accordingly to thestate of the surface under operation.

A motor E worked by air, steam, water or electricity is suitablycontained in the watertight casing or compartment B and has for itsobject to rotate the wheels C and thereby propel the appliance A ineither a forward or backward direction.

The wheels C are preferably geared from the motor shaft e through themedium of the spur wheel e which gears into the larger diameter of acompound spur wheel e the smaller diameter of which gears with the spurwheel e through the medium of pinion e Compound with the spur wheel a isa pinion e which gears into the larger diameter of a compound spur wheele the smaller diameter of which gears into the spur wheel e. The spurwheel a is locked to a shaft 6 which is mounted in suitable stuffingboxes in the sides of the casing B and extends completely across theappliance. This spindle e carries at each end a similar chain wheel afrom which the wheels C are driven in the manner shown in the drawingsthe chain e being also carried by aloose chain wheel e and engaging thetoothed wheels e on the wheels 0.

The cleaning tool F shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings is of thereciprocating form but a rotary tool or brush may be substituted if sodesired. The brush F receives its reciprocating motion from eccentricsf, the sheaves of which are mounted upon and receive their rotary motionfrom the shaft f which carries the compound spur wheel e a. This shaft fhas suitable stuffing boxes in the casing B and extends completelyacross the appliance and consequently gives a similar action to each endof the brush F. Suitable springs f are provided to retain the brush Fagainst the ship side.

The appliance is so arranged as to be capable of a side way movement soas to enable the operator to effect its movement in every possibledirection by a combination of forward or backward and sideway movements.For the sideway movement the wheels J are provided, and it is necessaryfor the even running of the appliance that the wheels O shall be awayfrom the ship side when it moves in a sideway direction, and for thesame reason the wheels J must be clear when moving in a forward orbackward direction. This function is obtained by shaping the-wheels J inthe manner shown in Fig. 4, the diameter for one half of thecircumference being larger than that of the wheels 0 and the diameter ofthe other half being smaller. Thus the wheels J are only effecting themovement of the appliance during one half of each revolution andconsequently the sideway movement is not continuous but at shortintervals the appliance resting on the wheels 0 during such shortintervals and upon the larger diameter of the wheels J when in movement.The wheels J are driven by motive power obtained from small motors Hwhich are independent of each other and the .motor E, and each motor Hdrives the wheels J at one end of the appliance. For this purpose themotor shaft it carries a worm k which gears into the worm wheel 71 onthe shaft h carrying the driving chain pinion j for the wheels J at theone end. For the reason hereinafter set forth it is necessary that thechain wheels on the wheels J should be of the same diameter as the chainwheel j. The provision of separate motors enables the operator to rotatethe wheels I at the ends of the appliance independently in eitherdirection, and it is by this means that the variety of movements isobtained.

In order that the wheels I shall always stop exactly or approximately inthe position shown in Fig. 4, ii. a. with the appliance resting upon thewheels 0 the cut off arrangement K is provided. This preferably consistsof a metal drum k which is mounted upon the shaft h and is insulated fora particular half of its circumference. A contact brush It impinges uponthe circumference of the drum lc and another brush a is in contact withthe shaft h. It may thus be readily understood that if the currentdriving the motor is passed through these brushes L it will be cut offand the motor stopped when the brush is comes into contact with theinsulated half of the drum is and this insulated half is arranged tocorrespond with the half of the wheels I which has the larger diameterin such a manner that this half will be away from the ships side whenthe half insulated drum cuts off the current in which position it willremain until it receives further motion from the motor H and it is thisaction which necessitates the similarity in the diameters of the chainWheels on the wheels J and the chain wheel j.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically one method of corrnecting up the' parts tothe driving dynamo L the switch M being for the regulation of theforward and backward movement and when the operator desires to rotatethe wheels .T he closes the switch k corresponding with the end at whichthe wheels are to rotate and the current passes through the motor H; Onopening the switch If the current passes through the brushes k k untilthe insulated half of the drum K cuts off the current and stops thewheels J in the required position. The switch it is always closed andthe current for all three motors may be obtained from the one drivingdynamo L in the manner shown, only one switch M being necessary for thepositive wire which branches to the positive terminals of the threemotors after it has left the switch. The three switches h, N 77, arenecessary in the case of the negative connections for the independentoperation of the three motors and the wires are independently insulatedand pass through the casing of the appliance A in the form of one cable0, a suitable stuffing box obeing provided to prevent leakage.

The whole appliance A is preferably provided with a chain or other cableby means of which it can be hauled up if any working part should get outof order,

but in the ordinary course of events the operator directs it to the topof the ship side from which it may readily be detached.

The present improvements are not confined to the particular details setforth in the foregoing specification and numerous variations may be madewithout departing from the nature of this invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ship cleaning apparatuscomprising, a casing. a cleaning meanscarried thereby, self contained means for selectively moving said casinglengthwise or laterally, and means for holding said casing against thesurface of the ship.

2. A ship cleaning apparatus comprising, a casing, a cleaning meanscarried thereby, self contained means for selectively moving said casinglengthwise or laterally and a magnet for holding said casing against thesurface of lhc ship.

I}. A ship clcuning apparatus comprising, a r'using. a cleaning meanscarried thereby, forwarding wheels jour naled on said casing, a motor insuid casing. connccting means between said motor and said forwardingwhccls. means for moving said casing laterally, and :1 rnugnct forholding said casing against the surface of the ship.

4. A. ship cleaning apparatus comprising, :1 casing, n cleaning meanscarried thereby. forwarding whccls jour naled on said casing, a motor insaid casing, connecting means between said motor and said forwardingwheels. other wheels for nroving the casing laterally, driving motorsfor the last mentioned wheels, menus for putting said ,last mentionedwheels out of operation during the forward movement of the casing and unmgnet for holding said casing against the surface of the ship.

5. A ship cleaning apparatus comprising. a casing, :r cleaning meanscarried thereby, forwarding wheels journaled in said casing, a motor insaid casing connecting means between said motor and said forwardingwhccls, lateral nrovement wheels of larger diameter than 11nsaidforwarding wheels having scrni-circumfcrentiul rccesses of such depththat the radius of the inner pcriphcry so formed is less than the radiusof the forwarding whccls. driving motors for said lateral movementwheels and :r magnet for holding said casing against the surface of theship.

G. A ship cleaning apparatus comprising, a casing, :r. cleaning meanscarried thereby, forwarding wheels journaled in said casing, a motor insaid casing, connecting means between said motor and said forwardingwheels, lateral movement wheels of larger diameter than the saidforwarding wheels having semi-circumfcrcnlial recesses of such depththat the radius of the inner periphery so formed is less than the radiusof the forwarding whccls. means for stopping said lateral movementwheels when their rece ses are in the lowermost position, drivinginotors for said lateral movement wheels and a magnet for holding thecasing against the surfucc of the ship.

7. A ship cleaning apparatus comprising, a casing, n. cleaning meanscarried thereby, forwarding wheels journaled in said casing, :1 motor insaid casing, connecting means between said motor and said forwardingwheels, lateral movement wheels of larger diameter thrrn the saidforwarding wheels having semi-circumfercntinl recesses of such depththat the radius of the inner periphery so formed is less than the radiusof the forwarding whccls. driving motors for said lateral movementwheels, shafts connected to said lateral movement wheels, connectingnrcarrs between said driviugrnotors and said shafts, electric conductingdrums on said shafts, insulating purts on said drums, brushes engagingsaid drurus and a magnet for holding the casing against the surfrrcc ofthe ship.

8. A ship cleaning :rpparrrt' comprising, a watertight casing, acleaning means carried thereby, a motor within said casing, u shaftwiilrin said casing and extending outside the some, gearing between saidshaft und motor, chain wheels on the ends of said shaft, forwardingwhccls journaled outside said casing, chain wheels on said forwardingwheels, chains connecting said chuin wheels with the chain wheels onsaid shaft, Intern] movement whccls of larger diameter than saidforwarding wheels positioned at right angles to the for 'ardiug wheelsand having scrnlcircumferential recesses of such depth that the radiusof the inner periphery so formed is l than the radius of the forwardingwheels, driving moto for said lateral ruovementt wheels, shaftsconnected to said lateral movcmcnt wheels, connecting means between saiddriving motors and said shafts, electric conducting drums on saidshafts, insulating parts on said drums, brushes cng 'ng suid drums and amagnet: for holding said casing ainst the surface of the ship.

l). A ship cleaning uppal'utus comprising. a watertight casing, a motorwithin said casing, a shaft within said casing and extending outside thesame, gearing between said shaft and motor, chain wheels on the ends ofsaid shaft, forwarding wheels iour'nnled outside said casing, chainwheels on said forwarding wheels, chnins connecting said chain wheelswith the chain wheels on said shaft, a second shaft within said casingand extending outside the same, gearing between said second shaft andsaid motor, eccentrics on the ends of said second shaft, arms connectedto said eccentrics, a dirt remover on said arms, lateral movement wheelsof larger diameter than said forwarding wheels positioned at rightangles to the forwarding wheels and having semi-circumferential recessesof such depth that the radius of the inner periphery so formed is lessthan the radius of the forwarding Wheels, driving motors for saidlateral movement wheels, shafts connected to said lateral movementwheels connecting means between said driving motors and said shafts,electric conducting drums on said shafts, insulating parts on saiddrums, brushes engaging said drums and a -magnet for holding said casingagainst the surface of the ship.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDYJHCGREGOR.

Witnesses LEWIS D. Goonn, FREDERICK CRUXTON.

